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Dispositif expérimental. Efficience des associations graminées-légumineuses en prairie
Get PDFUn programme expérimental sur les associations graminées-légumineuses a été mis en place, en juin 2024, sur la station expérimental de Bassin plat, à Saint-Pierre, La Réunion. Le dispositif expérimental vise à évaluer les bénéfiques de l'introduction de légumineuses dans les prairies de fauche, en terme agronomique, technico-économique, et environnemental. L'objectif est d'améliorer la connaissance scientifique et technique de ce type de couvert, dans une approche multicritère, et de fournir des références techniques aux filières
Ecological restoration of rubber monocultures: Strategies for biodiversity and ecosystem recovery in tropical regions
Get PDFSustainable conversion of uneconomic rubber monocultures is essential for restoring degraded tropical rainforests and achieving the goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). Here, we discuss existing ecological restoration approaches that may be applicable to converting rubber monocultures in protected and marginal areas with high conservation value but less economic potential. Before selecting restoration interventions, practitioners should conduct comprehensive assessments of landscape context, land-use history, forest regeneration status, and resource availability. Natural forest regeneration is typically a low-cost restoration option for rubber monocultures that have encroached into protected areas, where nearby natural forest fragments can provide seed sources. In other marginal areas, assisted natural regeneration and active planting can promote more rapid recovery. The restoration strategies outlined here can support the restoration of 1,900,000 ha of rubber monocultures in marginal zones and other economically unsustainable monoculture plantation crops, thereby making a significant contribution to global restoration targets by 2030
Use of participatory techniques and roleplay for research integrity training: Addressing complex situations and power dynamics
Get PDFAmong the recommendations aiming at improving research integrity culture and practices within research-performing organisations (RPOs), there is a general consensus that research integrity (RI) trainings tailored to a diversity of disciplines and career stages should be provided to research staff and students alike. In France, several laws articulating RI obligations for both RPOs and PhD students have been implemented since 2016. These obligations include that of providing training (for RPOs) and undergoing training (for PhD students). While these laws have improved basic knowledge of RI principles among PhD students, the lack of a similar obligation of RI training for PhD supervisors has created a situation of inequity between these two populations. This, in turn, tends to add to pre-existing tensions caused by power dynamics and as a result, both students and supervisors experience difficulties in implementing the principles of RI in their daily activities and struggle to find a common ground between their respective perceptions and practices. This is even more true in cases of cross-borders supervisions, since perceptions and practices of RI may be variable depending on the cultural background. CIRAD is a research organisation working in the field of agricultural development with countries of the global South, where cross-border PhD supervision (most of which involves Low- or Middle-Income Countries of the global South) represents more than half of the total number of PhDs supervised. RI training is not always available or accessible to foreign students enrolled in Doctoral Schools based in the global South, which generates an additional situation of inequity among PhD students. Both as a trainer in scientific writing and as a research integrity officer, I have successfully used participatory techniques and roleplay in order to provide RI training to CIRAD staff (research and support), foreign partners and PhD students (French and foreign), both in France and abroad. I will discuss how these methods have proved beneficial for illustrating seemingly abstract notions and giving life to complex situations resulting from the interplay between RI principles and interpersonal relationships. I will also show how their implementation may improve both the dialogue between different type of actors and their attitude with respect to RI dilemmas
Interplay between harvesting, planting density, and ripening time affects coffee leaf rust dispersal and infection
No full textThe relationship between the spatial structure of hosts and the individual movement of vectors is central to developing a comprehensive representation of pathogen dynamics. Previous studies have proposed that pathogens like coffee leaf rust (CLR; Hemileia vastatrix) can be transported between plants by coffee workers during harvesting. However, the relative influence of harvesting in coffee rust dispersal and plot-level infection is not well understood, and neither is its relation with plantation characteristics. In this study, we developed a 2D plantation model with deterministically moving agents to explore the role of coffee ripening synchronicity in reproducing the different harvesting trajectories reported in the field. We then evaluate how these trajectories modify the potential CLR infection in plots with increasing planting densities. We found that scenarios with interplant asynchronous ripening and scarcity of trees with berries generate trajectories with medium to long steps that are qualitatively similar to those observed in the field. When coupled with a rust dispersal mechanism, these trajectories significantly increased coffee plot infection compared to scenarios with only local dispersal mechanisms (up to 15%). This effect is enhanced for trajectories with medium-sized steps from the asynchronous scenario, and optimized in plantations with medium planting densities (2000–3000 plants/ha). At high planting densities, plants are always highly infected due to local dispersal, making the contribution of harvest negligible. Our results aims to spur discussion on agroecological practices that can reduce the impact of harvesting and specific trajectories, in scenarios where one can benefit from asynchronous maturation of berries and shaded plantations
Between promise and practice: The role of carbon standards in community engagement in land-based offset projects in Indonesia and Madagascar
Get PDFLand-intensive, nature-based solutions are central to the voluntary carbon market (VCM), raising concerns about adverse impacts on vulnerable communities. This research examines the regulatory scope of leading carbon standards and their implementation in offset projects in Indonesia and Madagascar, focusing on community engagement. We find that dominant standards accommodate diverse business models but lack robust requirements for benefit-sharing, consultation, and consent. Consequently, local outcomes vary widely, often left to project developers' discretion. In Indonesia, private-sector projects delivered community benefits ranging from substantial to negligible, with engagement frequently limited to minimal compliance. By contrast, a farmer-led project in Madagascar integrated benefit-sharing and participation as core elements, exceeding the basic standard requirements. These findings highlight the urgent need for stronger regulation that reflects the diversity of actors involved. We recommend more comprehensive standards for all land-based VCM projects to ensure meaningful community engagement and more equitable outcomes
PPIFold: A tool for analysis of protein-protein interaction from AlphaPullDown
Get PDFMotivation: Protein structure and protein–protein interaction (PPI) predictions based on coevolution have transformed structural biology, but managing pre-processing and post-processing can be complex and time-consuming, making these tools less accessible. Results: Here, we introduce PPIFold, a pipeline built on the AlphaPulldown Python package, designed to automate file handling and streamline the generation of outputs, facilitating the interpretation of PPI prediction results. The pipeline was validated on the bacterial Type 4 Secretion System nanomachine, demonstrating its effectiveness in simplifying PPI analysis and enhancing accessibility for researchers
Highlighting the services of cattle farming in Madagascar central highlands through a serious game
No full textIn Madagascar Central highlands, cattle farming plays a strategic role on family farms, both for its economic value and for the services it provides to the territory, e.g., organic fertilisation production, soil preparation, animal traction or household capital. In the DINAAMICC project, a serious game representing agricultural activities in a typical landscape of the highlands has been built. As part of a participatory approach, it has been used as a tool for analysing and discussing different dynamics on a territorial scale through sessions involving various stakeholders: farmers, stockbreeders, local authorities, technicians. This game highlights the stakes between cattle farming and other agricultural activities in terms of resource allocation, while raising awareness of its importance in the sustainability of agro-sylvo-pastoral systems. A key aspect of the game is the integration of contextual elements specific to local realities, in particular the threat of the Dahalo (cattle thieves). Often regarded as a tradition, livestock theft is a major constraint that weakens farming systems and has a cascading effect: by reducing livestock cattle, it leads to lower supplies of organic fertilizers and a weakening of household capital. By simulating these disruptions, the game enables participants to gain a better understanding of the issues involved in securing livestock production and its effects on the whole farming system. If it is not a tool for political decision-making, the game enables to enlighten debates about importance of livestock farming in family farming and rural areas sustainability. Keywords: Serious game, cattle farming, biomass management, territory, sustainable